Rolling car dump



Nov. 7, 1939. E. RAMsAY ROLLING CAR DUMP Filed Nov. l2, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Nov. 7, 1939. E. RAMsAY ROLLING CAR DUMP` Filed Nov. l2, 1957 4 Sheets-$heet 2 uvm/furor? TPS/(UVE PMSY ATTORNEYS" 0V 7, 1939. E RAMSAY 2,179,100

ROLLING CAR DUMP Filed NOV. l2, 1937 4 Shets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR fr ave/'ne Pav-0'] M ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1939.

Filed Nov. 12, 1937 Fig 5' E. RAMSAY ROLLING CAR DUMP 4 Shee :inventor IFES/(NVE KVI/)454V Bg A M (IttomegS Patented Nov. 7, 1939 PATENT OFFICEg ROLLING CAB. DUMP v ErskneiRamsaL Birmingham, Ala. pplication November 412, 1937, Serial No. 174,152

. claims. (Cian-51) My inventio-n relates .to a'rotary car dump ofthe rolling type, .adapted moreparticularly, but not exclusively, for dumping railway cars.

My invention relates to that class of dump in 5 which a track section is suitably mounted in riding rings, or ringfsegments, adapted by rack engagement with a transverse cogged track, to roll away from the car receiving position and invert the car to dump its contents, suitable means being provided for controlling the rolling movements back and forth ofthe dump.

One distinctive feature of my invention consists in mounting the car track section within the dump on a swinging cradle suitably suspended from the. dump frame and associated with longitudinal spring bumper bars whichv form yieldable stops for the car as it shifts laterally with the cradle responsive to therolling motion of the dump. This shift bodily of the cradle and car assists in the unbalancing of the dump to accelerate its dumping operation. p

My invention further consists in novel and keiiective means which automatically move into position to engage and positively grip the car so as to hold it in position in the dump while it is being inverted and which automaticallyrelease the dumped car. 5

My invention further contemplates a multiple chain control for the dump wherein the several chains employed are maintained under tension by a common floating idler vroller and are controlled by sprockets on a common shaft to which a worm drive is connected,r whereby all of the chains are subject to a common drive and vcommon brake control through the worm gear drive in the manipulation of the dump.

A My invention further contemplates so connecting the dump operating chains to car hold-down members that, responsive to the rolling motion 40 of the dump, such chainsk will automatically apply hold-down members to positively engage and hold the car in position in the dump until.

it approaches initial position, .when they will act to disengage the-hold-down members and release the car to be moved out of the dump. l

My invention further contemplates the provision of pivoted counterweights connected to holddown elements `and adapted to cause them to engage the `side of the `car resting against the spring bumpers during theA dumping operation and to automatically release them when the car resumes initial position, y

My invention further comprises `the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts which are. .hereinafter ,mere .eariigllarly .der

scribed and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a sectional view on the line I--I ofFig. 2 showing the dump in full lines in position to receive a railway car and in dotted yI5 lines in position assumed when dumping the car.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 taken on the line II--II.

Fig. 3 is a view taken in verticalsection on the line III-III of Fig. 1`.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in end relevation of one ofthe car gripping hold-downs.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4 with the holddown elements broken away.

Fig. 6 is a detail cross sectional View through 15. the spring bumper means in the dump taken in the line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a partial sectional view through half of the cog track on which the dump rolls.

Similar numerals refer throughout the drawings.

' In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, I show a rolling dump designed and adapted for the reception and dumping of individual railway cars, but yit will be understood that my inven- 25 tion is not limited to any particular size or number of cars but may well be adapted to various types and sizes of cars without modification of its essentially novel features of construction and operation.

I have shown the dump associated with a tipple having a floor Ill carrying the track rails I I upon which the cars tobe dumped approach and leave the dump. This oor I0 is formed with a dump well having a bottom I2 lowered sufficiently to 35 bring the track I3 in the dump level with and 'in alignment with the tipple tracks lI when the dump stands in initial position against stop shoulders I4 provided therefor in its track sup- 40 ports. l These track supports, as shown, are formed by parallel concrete walls l5 which rise ,above the pit ioor I2 and each is surmounted and armored by av channel I6 `set astride the wall and having rack pins I'I mounted in its side 45 flanges by welding the reduced pin shanks I8 in holes bored in suchI flanges. These channels I6 vcontinue up along the bumper face of the shoulders I4 and over the extensions I9 of said walls lwhich carry the track out over the dumpjchute 50 20, as will appear in Fig. 1, but the pins are arranged only from the track center to the end of extensions I9. The iioor I2 and the tracks I5 pitch downwardly toward the dump chute 20, which carries protective armor 2|. The side 55 to similar parts 20' walls 22 of the dump pit continue over and down to form side walls for the chute 26.

The tracks i3 employed in the rotary dump comprise as typical elements a main outer Z-rail and an inner angle stop rail 23. These rail elements are mounted on a series of swinging I- beam supports 24 forming elements of the car cradle that are suspended at each end by a link 25 from a structural standard mounted vertically in the dump structure. Each standard comprises a spaced pair of reversely faced channels 26 and the standards along each side of the truck are connected along their bottom ends by two longitudinal channels 21 that extend the length of the dump. The standards on the left Fig. l are further braced together near their upper ends by two outside longitudinal channels 28. The channels 21 form the longitudinal structural members of a light strong bottom truss comprising cross channels 23, diagonal brace members 32 and end supporting pairs of web plate members 3B welded to the inner face of the riding rings 3|. In each ring 3| on each side I mount a channel 26a and weld same to the adjacent inside channel 21. These channels 25a are welded in place between the adjacent side web plate members 33 or 34 and support the inner link 25 carrying the end cradle member 24.

The riding rings 3| of the dump are formed by bent channel members with their flanges 35 (see Fig. 7) out-turned and notched along their edges to mesh with the track pins l1 to provide coggcd or geared engagement between the dump and its respective tracks I6 which will prevent a long dump structure from cocking, twisting, or binding as it rolls back and forth on its tracks. The dumping structure is further braced vertically along each side by the provision of side members 33 and 34 of the web plates in the riding rings, which members are welded to the inner ring face and to the lower channels 21 and to upper channel 28 on the left and to outside upper channel 56 on the right of Fig. 1, all of which c-hannels pass through suitable openings in the web plates and are welded thereto. The diagonal brace members 36 (see Fig. 3), which are welded below to the bottom channels 21 and above to the channels 28 or 56, form such members into structural trusses of light weight but considerable strength that are supported at veach end by the riding rings 3|.

Opposite each bracing channel 28 on the dumping side I mount a plate 31 and plunger bolts 38 are inserted through aligning openings in the channels 28 and plates 31. A spring 39 is mounted on each bolt and is seated at one end against the channel 28 and at the other end against a collar 49 secured by a pin on its respective plunger bolt 38 and disposed on the outward side of the plate 31. The bolts mounted in each pair of opposed elements 28 and 31 are at their inner ends welded to their respective bumper channel 4| and the arrangement described is such that when the weight of the car cornes against the bumper channels it will cause the plunger bolts to yield, responsive to the compression of their springs 39 and form a cushion to stop and support the car when it swings laterally with the cradle as the dump rolls over.

The web plate members 33 in each riding ring 3| above the level of the bumpers, carry a pivot pin 42 (Fig, 6) which overhangs to the outside of its respective dump ring and has pivotally mounted thereon a counterweighted lever 43, connected at its inner end by a chain 44, that alvaloo passes down between guide rolls 45 journalled on the members 33, to the free end of its respective heavy counterweight 46, to which it is made fast. Each of these counterweights is pivoted to a bracket 41 secured to the dump pit floor I2 and the relation of parts is such that when the dump is in car receiving position, as shown in Fig. 1, the two counterweights 46 rest upon the floor |2 as a stop, and their chains 44 are held taut by the counterweight 43a, on the outer end of each lever 43. But as the dump rolls toward its dumping position, shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, these chains 44 pull against the weights 46 until they rise to the dottedA line position (Fig. 1). The pull thus from these weights on the chains to check the dump draws both arms 43 inwardly and downwardly against the adjacent side edge of the car on its dumping side to assist in holding it in position in the dump. In full dumping position the counterweights 43a on the hold-down arms 43 are in position to coact with the pull from the counterweights 46, whereas in initial position these counterweights Work in opposition.

The right-hand side of the dumping frame, as Viewed in Fig. 1, shows the riding rings terminating below the upper level of the right hand standards 26 which are shorter than the standards 26 on the left hand side of the dump. These shorter standards are incorporated in a truss in the manner already described for the left hand standards (Fig. 1) with the longitudinal top members consisting of the channels 5|] and a top plate 59a. As seen in Fig, 4 I mount on top of each such plate 56a, within each riding ring 3|, a pair of guide bars 5| with their free ends inturned to form stops 52 for a pair of arms 53, each pivotally mounted by its respective stud pivot pin 54 in the adjacent side web plate members 34 and a mounting plate 55 attached to such web members. Enough of the web portion of each riding ring channel 3| is cut from its side anges and bent inwardly from the point 56 (Fig. 4) to forma diagonal brace 51 leading up to the adjacent channel 59. This leaves the riding rings open above the point of bending 56 of the ring webs so that a chain 58 attached centrally to a pin 59, mounted in each ring near the upper ends of its pair of arms 53, may swing down clearing its respective stops 5| and pins 54 and, in certain positions of the dump, come to rest on channel 5U and web 51 of its riding ring (see the dotted line position of chain 58 in Fig. 1). The arms 53 in each riding' ring 3| extend above the adjacent pin 59 and are cross braced by a bar 60 mounted between them. Both pairs of arms 53 are connected together by a longitudinal plate 66a extending the length of the dump, and are also connected by the plates 6| and 62. 'I'he plate 6| has welded, or otherwise made fast thereto, a series of downwardly inclined strips 63 which are braced at intervals by gussets 64 and extend the full length of the dump. These form detents which are adapted to engage the near side of the car 65 in the dump as a hold-down means.

I provide two chains running from the pairs of arms 53 on each riding ring about a sprocket 66 on a shaft 61, the chains passing around the sprockets 66 and under idlers 68 and thence about idlersl 69, each suitably mounted in the top dump structure 16, and thence in a loop under a coun- 1 terweighting roll 1| and back up to a suitable anchorage 12 at the top of the dump structure. This arrangement is common to both ends of the dump Aand the idlers 68 are suitably mounted by means of brackets 13 on the stands 14 which sup- -75 port the end bearings for the shaft 61. Near its center the shaft 61 carries a worm wheel v16 meshing a worm 11 on the drive shaft of a re-` versible electric motor 18. The bearings 19 house the shaft 61 at its center, the motor shaft and the worml drive. The counter-weighting roll 1l carries sprockets 80 at its ends adapted to mesh with the chains 58.

' The worm drive to the shaft 61 constitutes the brake which, through chains 58, controls the rolling motion of the dump. Assuming the dump in initial position and a car 65 in the dump, the dumping operation proceeds as follows: Due to the downward pitch of the dump tracks on which the riding rings rest, the dump stands unbalanced to the left (Fig. 1) and but for the worm drive brake would start at once rolling to the left. The motor is thereupon put in motion to drive the worm wheel 66 clockwise, thereby paying oif the chains 58 evenly at each end of the dump and reducing the amount of chain in the bight in which the roll 1I is engaged. 'Ihis releases the dump which starts rolling with a cog geared mesh with its track pins l1 and as l it turns the weight of the car becomes more unbalanced to the left in the dump, causing its cradle to swing to the left until the side of the car engages the spring bumper channels 4l and its upper edge stands close to the overhanging ends of the riding rings. As the dump rolls its chains 58 swing downwardly until they move past dead center (Fig. 4) with reference to the pivot pins 54 for arms 53, when they pull the said arms down until one of their strips 63 engages the adjacent right hand edge of the car as a hold-down means. `Thereafter the pull of the load applied tothe chains 58 is exertedto hold these grip members to their work. As the dump rolls the chains 44 at each end connecting the hold-down arm 43 with the weights 46, commence to tighten and pull on said weights 46 to lift them. 'I'he resistance of the weights, which is great at first, pulls the hold-down arms 43 against the left hand side edge of the car to assist in holding it against slipping off the bumper channels 4I. The dump continues to roll until its rings pass out over the dump chute 2D when the car becomes sufficiently inverted to discharge all of its contents. Thereupon, the motor 18 is reversed and the chains 58 are used to roll the dump up the incline to initial position. As the dump approaches initial position, the weights 46 come to rest on the oor `l2 freeing the counter-weights 43ar on the arms 43 to lift them clear of the car. At the same time the chains 58 swing above dead center position with reference to pins 54 (Fig. 4) and act to pull the hold-down elements 53, 63 on the right clear of the car. When the dump is righted its cradle will swing or shift back t0 initial center position in the dump when the empty car can be withdrawn in either direction from the dump.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 1 that the cradle supporting links 25 on the right hand side are shorter than those on the left. The purpose of this arrangement is to give the load on the cradle as the dump rights itself a little more power to pull the cradle towards the right and thus insure its return to center position in alignment with the tracks Il. A stop pin 82 is provided to limit the shift of the cradle to the right and the shorter links on the right will hold it inthis position until the rails I3 engage the stationary stops 8l, thus insuring that the moving dump rails I3A and-thestationary rails Il will always come automatically into exact register, when'the dump vhasreturned to initial position. In the dumping operation the motor 18 only acts as a release for the worm brake, and on the return travel of Ithe dump it has only to roll the empty, car alnd dump back to initial position. Y

It is important to note, by reference more particularly to Fig. 1, thatwhen the loaded car standsl upright in the dump its center of gravity is materially above the center of rotation of the dump and as the dump turns counter-clockwise this weight becomes unbalanced to the left and both assists and accelerates its rolling motion toward `dumping position, subject to control of its motor worm drive and "takes all driving duty off this motor in respect of thisI movement to dump. By noting the dotted line position of the inverted car in the dump, it will be seen that the running gear, representing the greater portion of the weight of the car, and also the cradle will stand above and to the right of the axis of rotation of the dump when the car is inverted. This excess weight unbalances the dump to the right and thus assists in starting and accelerating its return movement to initial position, thereby reducing the duty on the motor 18 to eifect the return of the dump. Thus, a relatively small motor can exert a powerful and effective control at all times of the dump, and the light truss structure of the dump, both in its horizontal and vertical members, gives it both a light, stiff and durable frame work.

The'mounting of the car in a cradle or laterally shiftable support reduces the angular or cooking strain upon the car mounting, and-lets the latter swing or shift and come to rest naturally and easily against the spring bumper plates 4I on the strongly braced side of the dump.

The designing of the dump to permit the dump cradle to swing or shift laterally provides an excess side clearance for the cars to be dumped which enables the dump to accommodate different sizes and designs of cars and. yet cause all to come quickly and solidly to rest against the spring cushion plates 4| as the dump lstarts to roll. It is further to be noted that the spring cushion plates 4l being disposed at different levels and independently spring mounted, will readily adapt themselves to different side contours of cars as the latter shift over and engage them.

It will be understood when I refer to a swinging cradle that such term is inclusive of any car receiver which is capable of a lateral shifting movement back and forth in the dump which will permit the car to shift over against its cushion supports in being dumped, and then to shift back to initial position when the dump is righted, thereby bringing the tracks in the dump into register with the stationary tracks il. It will be understood that the hold-down members 63 may be of any suitable character to enablethem to readily grip and engage cars of any particular design, width, height and contour.

In the preferred arrangement the inside track elements 23 are formed as side flanges of a longitudinal door plate 23a extending the length of the cradle.

WhileI have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire,

fil

therefore, lthat only such, limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are,specifically set forth in the appended claims., p

What I claim is:

1. A rolling car dump comprising a car receiving ramariding ring elements carrying the frame, tracks upon which they ring elements ride to invert a car in the dump, motor driven mechanism to control the rolling movements of the dump, and hold-down means for a oar in the dump connected to, and` adapted to be automatically and positively applied and released by, the dump control mechanism. l 2. A rolling car dump, comprising a car receiving frame, riding ring elements carrying the frame, tracks upon which the ring elements ride to invert a car in the dump, hold-down means for a car in the dump, motor driven mechanism directly connected to said hold-down means for controlling the rolling movements of the dump, andY means to apply and release said hold-down meansautomatioally responsive to the rolling motion of the dump.

3. A rolling dump according to claim 2, in which hold-down elements are'disposed on both sides of the car in the dump and their control means comprise counter-Weight means to operate the hold-down elements on one side of the dump, and means responsive to the motor driven mechanism to operate the hold-down means on the other side of the dump, both hold-down control mechanisms being adaptedautomatically to release the car as it resumes upright position.

`4. A rolling dump, comprising an elongated railway car receiving frame, riding ring elements carrying said frame, inclined transversely disposed tracks upon Which said ring elements ride to invert a car in the dump, chain control mechair/9,100

anism to operate the dump comprising chains, each connected to an anchorage at one end and at the other end to the periphery of a dump ring element, a common pulley and counter-weight means working in a bight in said chains to maintain equalized tension on said chains'a common sprocket drive for all chains, and a' motor driven worm gear transmission for driving Said sprocket drive and adapted to serve as a common brake means for all chains.

5. A rolling dump, comprising a c'ar receiving frame, riding ring elements carrying said frame, inclined transversely disposed tracks upon which said ring elements ride to invert a car n the dump, motor driven chain control mechanism to operate the dump, a car hold-down means pvoted to each riding ring to which hold-down means said chain control mechanism is attached in position for 4the chains to move below dead center relation to the axis of said hold-down means and apply said hold-down means during the initial movement of the dump, and to move above such dead center relation position and release the holddown means as the dump completes its return travel after dumping. v

6. A rolling dump, comprising a frame having transverse riding ring elements, tracks upon which the ring elements ride, a swinging cradle mounted in the frame and adapted to receive and support the car to be dumped, swinging supports for the cradle, those on the dumping side being longer and disposed at a lesser angle to the vertical than those on the other side, to insure the automatic gravitating return of the cradle to initial car receiving and discharging position,

hold-down means to retain the car in the dump when inverted, kand means to control the rolling movements of the dump.

ERSKINE RAMSAY. 

